Improvement in car-couplings



UNITED STATES PATENT (.)EErc'Eo JAMES M. OLEM, OF OPELIKA, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT IAN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,077, dated June 16,1874; application tiled May 9, 1814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, J -iMEs M. GLEM, of Opelika, in the county of Iieeand in the State of Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Car-Coupling; and do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying draw-.

ings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which a pin ispivoted in the upper part of the draw-head and hangs down verticallyagainst a shoulder in the bottom of the draw-head; and the nature of myinvention consists in providing the draw-head with a solidre-enforcement at the bottom to strengthen it and prevent the pin fromdropping through it if the rod should give way.

My presentinvcntion relates to an improvement upon Letters PatentNo.147,901, granted to me February 24, 18T-l.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which-Figure l is a longitudinal section of a part of a tender with mycoupling attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a car with mycoupling attached thereto. Fig. 3 is a side view of the end of the car.Fig. 4. is a perspective view of a part of the tender. Fig. 5 is across-section of the draw-head, and Fig. 6

- is an interior perspective view of the top of the draw-head.

A represents the draw-head, made in substantially the same form as thosein general use, but provided with a rfa-enforcement, a, ou top, which isslotted for the insertion of the pin B. The lower end of this pin entersya' groove, l, in the bottom of the interior chamber d of the draw-head,and when the cars are coupled bears against the shoulder formed by thefront end of said groove.

In a former patent granted to me, the lower end of the pin entered aslot in the bottom of the draw-head, which was objectionable, because,if the rod which pivots the pin should give way the pin would dropthrough.

To obviate this difcultyIprovide the drawhead with a solid longitudinalre-enforcement,

f, on the bottom, which closes the slot and transforms it into thegroove b. This prevents tlie pin B from dropping through if the rodshould in any manner give way. It also adds strength to the draw-headand prevents the breaking of the iiange by concussion. The interiorchamber d of the draw-head is preferably made in U shape, as shown inFig. 6, and made larger or wider at the bottom from to tv than at theneck from y to y, thereby allowing the coupling-link C free play at itsinner end, to allow the outer end to move from side to side, as occasionrequires. h represents the crank-rod, by which the coupling-pin B may beoperated. This rod passes through the top re-enforcement a and throughthe pin B, forming the pivot upon which the pin works. The rod on oneside is supported in a suitable bearing, e, and the other end, whichprojects beyond the other side of the re-enforcement a, is bent backwardand then inward, forming the crank t, and inserted in the upper rearportion of the pin B, said pin being somewhat L-shaped, as shown inFigs. l and 2. The outer end of the rod It beyond the bearing e isprovided with an arm or lever, k, which hangs downward in its normalposition by means of a ball or weight, m, attached to its lower end. Thelower end of the `lever or the ball is, by a chain, a, connected with arod, p, which rod on a car passes vertically up to the top thereof, sothat the cars may be uncoupled from the top or side, as desired, but ona tender the rod runs in an inclined position backward, so that thelireman can uncouple the cars, if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The draw-head A, provided 'with a solid reenforcement f at the bottom,which extends the entire length of the draw-head and abuts against theforward part thereof, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto -set my handthis 4th day of May, 1874.

JAMES M. CLEM.

lllitnesses J AsPER H. STAPPEY, WrLsoN WrnLrAMs.

